Long before the idea of an Argentine nation existed, the land that now forms Argentina was home to diverse Indigenous peoples. In the northwest, communities such as the Diaguita practiced agriculture and trade, later becoming part of the Inca Empire. In the Gran Chaco region, life revolved around hunting, fishing, and gathering. In Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, groups like the Mapuche, Tehuelche, and Selknam developed nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyles adapted to harsh environments.
These peoples maintained their cultures for centuries, until the arrival of Europeans in the 16th century brought profound change. Sebastián Caboto was the first to call the great southern estuary the “Río de la Plata,” convinced it led to lands rich in silver. Pedro de Mendoza founded the first Buenos Aires settlement in 1536, but it was soon abandoned after an attack by the Querandí people. The city was only refounded in 1580.
In the following centuries, the region that would become Argentina remained under Spanish rule, with the political and economic center in Upper Peru (now Bolivia). Buenos Aires prospered largely through smuggling rather than legal trade, creating friction with Spanish authorities.
Everything changed in May 1810, when news of King Ferdinand VII’s fall in Spain inspired local elites in Buenos Aires to form their own government. The May Revolution established a local Junta that replaced the viceroy, claiming to govern in the king’s name — though it soon became clear that full independence was the real goal.
This revolutionary act sparked resistance across the region. One of the main centers of opposition was Montevideo, home to Spain’s naval power in the Río de la Plata. Loyalist officers and sailors gathered there, launching attacks against Buenos Aires to restore royal control over the former viceroyalty.
In response, the patriots organized their first naval force in 1811, known as the First Naval Squadron, led by the corsair Juan Bautista Azopardo. Its mission was to protect river routes and challenge Spanish naval dominance. On March 2, it faced defeat at the Battle of San Nicolás, and Azopardo was captured and imprisoned in Cádiz until 1820.
Although this was a major setback, it became a turning point. The experience gained in these early naval efforts helped build a more capable fleet in the following years. The leadership of Guillermo Brown, an Irish-born sailor fighting for the patriot cause, was instrumental. Under his command, the patriots secured dominance of the river and blockaded Montevideo, which eventually surrendered in June 1814. This ended Spanish naval presence in the region.
Victory on the water opened the way for further campaigns, such as San Martín’s crossing of the Andes. Controlling the rivers meant controlling communication, trade, and military movement. For that reason, even though early naval battles are sometimes overlooked, they played a crucial role in securing independence.
Meanwhile, the revolutionary government began searching for a national identity — a complex process that raised the question of how Indigenous peoples would fit into the new society. Unfortunately, rather than being included, they were often seen as an obstacle to territorial expansion. This marked the beginning of a long period of exclusion that continued throughout the 19th century.
A Living Legacy
Today, many of these issues remain part of ongoing debates. May 17, commemorating the naval battle of 1814, is celebrated as the Day of the Argentine Navy, which still honors figures like Brown and Azopardo. At the same time, Indigenous communities across Argentina are reclaiming their histories, demanding recognition of ancestral lands and calling for a more inclusive interpretation of the past.
The Argentine government has also launched educational programs to recover and teach naval history and Indigenous contributions to independence. Naval museums, digital archives, and educational projects now aim to give visibility to these often-overlooked aspects of history.
The contradictions of the independence process are also being re-examined: while fighting for freedom from Spain, many social groups — Indigenous peoples, African slaves, and poor rural workers — were excluded from the new order being built.
Conclusion
From colonial foundations to 19th-century naval battles, and from the rich diversity of Indigenous cultures to the birth of revolutionary ideals, Argentina’s history is complex and full of tensions. Understanding the origins of the May Revolution and its consequences means not only looking at the past but also thinking critically about the present — whose voices were silenced, which symbols we choose to celebrate, and what kind of country we aim to build from that shared memory.
